Three weeks ago, we sat down with workers and organizers at Republic Windows and Doors who staged a sit down strike in December after their employers literally vanished overnight laying off over 200 workers and denying them severance and vacation pay. Now it appears that the workers may have found a new buyer for the factory who will recognize the union and ensure that all workers "will be rehired at the former rate of pay," making union wages.

The new owners, California-based Serious Materials, produce eco-friendly windows and doors.

GRITtv spoke with Melvin “Ricky” Maclin, Vice President of United Electrical Workers Local 1110 and Raul Flores, a shop steward in the same Union about the difficulties of organizing in today's political climate and the excitement of building a strong shop that fought back against the threat of mass lay-offs. Now they're serving as a new example in a battered economy: that strong unions can bring closed factories, and solid jobs, back.

“We have all been working hard to get our factory re-opened since December 10, 2008. We are so glad this day has come,” said UE Local Vice-President Melvin Maclin.